ISL 2022-23: NorthEast United holds East Bengal in an intriguing 3-3 draw

NorthEast United (NEUFC) pocketed its only points on the road this season in the 2022-23 Indian Super League (ISL) after a thrilling 3-3 draw with East Bengal (EBFC) at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday. Cleiton Silva flung himself to the top of the goal-scoring sheet after scoring a brace, while Jake Jervis opened his ISL account with a breathtaking equaliser in opening-half stoppage time. Goals from Parthib Gogoi, Jithin MS, and substitute Imran Khan gave the Highlanders their maiden away point.

The Highlanders were stalking the encounter as early as the 10th minute when Jerry Lalrinzuala gave a cross in to find Silva, going ahead of Mashoor Shereef and heading the opening goal at the near post. At the half-hour mark, a dazzling effort from Parthib levelled the scores. Tondoba’s cross from the left picked up a deflection on its way to him by the box. Parthib took a contact, revised his footing and shattered it into the top-right corner.

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Three minutes following the equaliser, the meeting turned on its head after EBFC was caught sleeping on the counter, seconds after beggings for a penalty. Against the run of play, Romain Philippoteaux put Jithin through on goal, and the forward kept his equilibrium before putting it past Kamaljit Singh.

In first-half stoppage time, the Torch Bearers pulled themselves back on spectacularly level terms. The Highlanders’ defence failed to clear a long throw-in into the box, bouncing perfectly for Jervis to net his maiden goal for his new club with a sublime overhead kick. In the following half, around the 60-minute mark, Passi crossed the ball in from the right, and Silva was believed to have been fouled by Saji before getting anything on the ball. The referee indicated to the spot, and Silva stepped up to send Arindam Bhattacharya the wrong way, putting the Torch Bearers ahead again.

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The substitutes began making a mark in the closing stages of the tie. As the Highlanders loaded the EBFC penalty box, Imran Khan powered Gani Nigam’s cross from the right into the back of the net in the 85th. At the other end, the Torch Bearers tracked for an instant comeback with their substitute Jordan O’Doherty, with one of the midfielder’s long-range attempts deflected over the bar by Bhattacharya. The Highlanders crept forward and endeavoured to go for the jugular in stoppage time but had to settle for a lone point.

EBFC is now a couple of points behind its next opponent, record former two-time champion Chennaiyin FC (CFC), and actually at the end of its playoff race. The Marina Arena hosts that encounter on Sunday. NEUFC has now ensured a bottom-placed finish but will be looking to damage the playoff party for Odisha FC (OFC) when the two teams encounter on February 17.